Analytical Bias of Cross-Reactive Polyclonal Antibodies for Environmental Immunoassays of Alternaria alternata

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beezhold, Donald H. ; Blanchere, Francoise M. ; Green, Brett J. ; Janotka E ; Schmechel D
• Description:
  Background: Alternaria alternata is recognized as an important aeroallergen indoors and outdoors, and exposure to the fungus has been identified as a risk factor for asthma. Two recent publications concluded that 95% to 99% of American homes contained detectable amounts of Alternaria antigens when analyzed with a polyclonal antibody (pAb)-based ELISA. Objectives: We investigated the cross-reactivity of the commercially available pAbs that were used in those studies. Methods: Reactivity to 24 fungal species commonly found in indoor environments was analyzed by inhibition ELISA by using solid-phase A alternata antigen. The pAbs were also tested by immunoblotting and halogen immunoassay for a subgroup of fungi. Results: Spores of 7 fungi including species of Alternaria, Ulocladium, Stemphylium, Epicoccum, Drechslera, and Exserohilum strongly inhibited the binding of the pAbs when tested by ELISA. Six other fungi reacted in the ELISA at a lower level, and 11 fungal species including several Penicillium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Cladosporium species failed to show inhibition. The immunoblots and the halogen immunoassay staining confirmed the cross-reactivity patterns of the ELISA. Conclusion: The pAbs against A alternata were found to crossreact broadly with related and nonrelated fungi. The prevalence data previously reported for A alternata should be considered to be fungal-reactive rather than A alternata-specific. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution Air Pollution, Indoor Fungi Hypersensitivity Occupational Health Respiratory System Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-contamination Air-quality Allergic-disorders Allergic-reactions Breathing Fungal-diseases Fungal-infections Immune-system-disorders
• ISSN:
  0091-6749
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  121
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20033529
• Citation:
  J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008 Mar; 121(3):763-768
• Contact Point Address:
  Detlef Schmechel, CDC, NIOSH, Allergy & Clinical Immunology Branch, 1095 Willowdale Rd, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Email:
  DSchmechel@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:259e11a8c7cc324ca5711d85e490a1339693c85ebb73005f135b54868d2c2786ace29a0f8f4c92ffff606e4b559e940df7f1f180ff70440e0de2f1ab445590e3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189067/cdc_189067_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 386.42 KB ]